The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 21, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 04, 1999
Tse-Yong Yao, San Francisco, CA (US);
Allen Thompson, San Carlos, CA (US);
Peijun Ding, San Jose, CA (US);
Richard Hong, San Jose, CA (US);
Applied Materials, Inc., Santa Clara, CA (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus is provided for clamping and shielding the edge of a substrate useful in electronic device fabrication. A shadow ring is formed by an inward radial extension of the top surface of a generally annular shaped clamp ring. The shadow ring portion overhangs but does not contact the top surface of a substrate being processed. A smoothly tapered substrate contact surface extending from the outer diametrical extent of the shadow ring bottom surface to the bottom surface of the clamp ring is sized and adapted to engage the outer edge of a substrate. The substrate contact surface aligns the clamp ring to a substrate support member and a substrate to the substrate support member and the clamp ring as the substrate is lifted vertically.